Category: Archive
Insider: For advocates, New York’s new legal weed bill is a major victory against racist drug sentencing
“As a public defender, Eli Northrup and the organization he works for, the Bronx Defenders, represented thousands of young Black and brown community members facing life-altering marijuana possession charges. Northrup joined the fight to legalize marijuana in New York after witnessing countless lives destroyed over minor marijuana convictions while “mothers in the Upper East Side […]
Call about a Shooting Sparks Drug Arrest in Bedford Park
“Eli Northrup, policy counsel for The Bronx Defenders, was quoted as saying, “Because there’s no regulated market, you would be subject to a criminal violation and a fine of up to $250, if you sell any amount under 3 ounces. Anything more than that is a misdemeanor.” Read the full article here
NY Amsterdam News: Police reforms locked in place, but nobody’s happy
“But Justine Olderman, executive director of The Bronx Defenders, deemed the final plan empty and toothless. “This weak and unimaginative plan will do nothing to address the NYPD’s endemic racism, nor will it reduce the footprint of policing in communities of color,” said Olderman. “Instead, the proposals funnel more funding towards failed policing strategies and […]
Spectrum News1: New Marijuana Law Expunges Convictions for Many
“Some experts recommend those with certain immigration statuses who might benefit from expungement to talk to a lawyer. Eli Northrup with The Bronx Defenders says communities of color have been largely impacted by marijuana laws. “Even though, white people, people of color use [marijuana] at similar rates, people of color are the ones arrested, convicted […]
News12 The Bronx: Gov. Cuomo signs bill legalizing recreational marijuana for adults in the state
“Eli Northup, an attorney for The Bronx Defenders, says the decision is long overdue. “If you ever had a conviction for a marijuana offense and that behavior is now legal, that record is automatically expunged,” Northup says. “You don’t have to do anything.” Read the full article here
Gothamist: “Can I Smoke Weed On The Street?”: What You Need To Know About Legal Marijuana In NY
“It’s a violation to sell any amount of marijuana unlawfully under the MRTA, but harsh penalties for selling lower amounts have been removed. “Because there’s no regulated market, you would be subject to a criminal violation and a fine of up to $250, if you sell any amount under 3 ounces,” said Eli Northrup, policy […]
New York Daily News: N.Y. state lawmakers finalize deal on legalizing recreational marijuana
“Public defenders praised the legislation. “Marijuana justice means working to undo the immense damage done by the war on drugs and ensuring that the communities most impacted by prohibition — including many here in the Bronx — have a chance to benefit from legalization as well,” Eli Northrup of the Bronx Defenders said in a […]
PIX11: Inside the deal to legalize marijuana in New York
“Eli Northup is an attorney with the Bronx Defenders. He hopes the deal will also include a provision to automatically wipe out past marijuana convictions from criminal records. “Marijuana convictions can affect people in all these different ways outside of the criminal context, in the child welfare system, when you’re applying for housing, education, there’s […]
The Trace: Promising Crime Solutions Are Being Undermined by Flawed Federal Ratings, Researchers Say
“For more than two decades, the Bronx Defenders has provided a holistic form of legal aid to indigent residents in New York. In addition to pro-bono criminal defense, lawyers help clients with the gamut of social and legal challenges that often surface in the wake of an arrest. The work is expensive, and like many […]
The Trace: Promising Crime Solutions Are Being Undermined by Flawed Federal Ratings, Researchers Say
“For more than two decades, the Bronx Defenders has provided a holistic form of legal aid to indigent residents in New York. In addition to pro-bono criminal defense, lawyers help clients with the gamut of social and legal challenges that often surface in the wake of an arrest. The work is expensive, and like many […]